Test Yourself on FERPA

Transcription

1 Test Yourself on FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (also known as the Buckley Amendment) CCS Office of the Registrar 1

2 Review: basic student FERPA rights 1. Right to inspect and review everything in their record. 2. Right to request changes to their educational records. 3. Right to appeal a decision of the university to not make requested changes. 4. Right of some control over the disclosure of information from their education record. Without a student's written permission, it is a violation of FERPA to release non-directory information to third parties (unless an exception provided by statute). Parents are a third party. 2

3 1. Question.. Scenario: Local police call, a person claiming to be a student has been arrested. You know that the police have a policy of releasing an arrested student for minor infractions, (what is involved in this case), if they can verify that the person is a student. You check the Student Management system and find the person is currently enrolled at CCS but has a No Information block. Do you verify to the officer that this person is a student? 3

4 Answer: No You respond: I have no information that I can release on that individual. You are honoring the student s FERPA right of nondisclosure. (Once requested, confidentiality stays in force, until the student revokes it in writing.) 4

5 2. Question... True or False? A deceased student s educational record is still protected under FERPA. 5

6 2. Answer. False The privacy interests of an individual expire with that individual s death. So NO - educational records of deceased students are not protected by FERPA. 6

7 3. Consider this hypothetical situation... A faculty member has an emergency and must leave class before distributing test results to his students. He leaves the graded exams in a pile on the desk and instructs the students to retrieve their own exams from the pile. Is this distribution method in compliance with FERPA? 7

8 3. Answer. NO This method of grade distribution is a VIOLATION of FERPA and could subject he faculty and the COLLEGE to a formal complaint. Why? Because while trying to locate their own exam results the students would have access to other student s data. 8

9 4. Question.. Someone calls claiming they are a student and want you to discuss information from their educational record.they offer to give you the last 4 digits of the SSN as they do not remember their CCS ID? Can you verify their identity based upon the last 4 digits of the SSN, and their name? Would this practice be FERPA compliant? 9

10 4. Answer NO you may not do this. confirming directory information based on the last four digits of the SSN would not be permitted under FERPA. This equates to confirming the SSN which the new regulations specifically prohibit, absent written consent from the student. LeRoy S. Rooker, Senior Fellow AACRAO and former director of U.S. DOE FERPA Compliance Office. 10

11 5. True or False? A student has a right to inspect information in his or her file in the Registrar s Office and in his or her academic department or college. 11

12 12 True

13 True or False?: 6. Faculty have a right to inspect education records of any student attending CCS without giving a reason. 13

14 False Only if they have a legitimate educational purpose 14

15 True or False?: 7. CCS must release, to anyone, upon request, any information identified as directory information by the institution. 15

16 FALSE They may, it is at the discretion of the institution 16

17 True or False?: 8. A former student has the same right to inspect and review his record as a student currently attending CCS. 17

18 18 TRUE

19 True or False?: 9. Currently attending CCS students have the right under FERPA to request that all of their educational records not be disclosed, to anyone, and CCS must comply. 19

20 False Confidentiality rights only apply to directory information 20

21 True or False?: 10. Parents may obtain confidential information from their student s academic record. 21

22 TRUE If student is dependent CCS may legally decide to release information 22

23 True or False?: 11. A CCS student s degree can be confirmed to some external source without first obtaining the permission of the student. 23

24 TRUE degree is directory information 24

25 Review.KEY FERPA CONCEPTS 1. Written permission required for disclosure of student education record: If it s not Directory Information don t release it. e.g. Transcript request form requires student signature. 2. Exceptions to written permission rule exist: Entities with Legitimate Educational Interest Financial aid providers and authorities 3. Students have right to access & review their records, and due process for complaints. 4. Parents/parental disclosure Parents can have 24/7 access to information via Web-4-Parent W implementation of PeopleSoft and student permission 25

26 AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES LeRoy Rooker, Senior Fellow AACRAO and former Director US DOE Family Policy Compliance Office. One Dupont Circle, NW. Washington DC AACRAO FERPA Guide American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officer. Dennis Hicks, managing editor. The FERPA Answer Book for Higher Educational Professionals Aileen Gelpi, Esq., and Clifford A Ramirez. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. A Wiley Company. U.S. Dept. of Education. Family Policy Compliance Office. ferpa@ed.gov; 26